Section 1 - Psychologists at Work
MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
What is the science of psychology?
What are the major specialties in the field of psychology?
Where do psychologists work?
VOCABULARY
psychology - The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
THE SUBFIELDS OF PSYCHOLOGY: PSYCHOLOGY'S FAMILY TREE
The subfields of psychology can be likened to an extended family, with assorted nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and cousins who, although they may not interact on a day-to-day basis, are related to one another, because they share a common goal: understanding behavior.
What Are The Biological Foundations Of Behavior?
-Examining how our bodies influence our behavior - Behavioral Neuroscience
How Do People Sense, Perceive, Learn, And Think About The World?
-Study of processes (sensing, perceiving, learning, and thinking about the world) - Experimental Psychology
-Focus on higher mental processes (thinking, reasoning, memory, problem solving, judging, decision making, and language) - Cognitive Psychology
What Are The Sources Of Change And Stability In Behavior Across The Life Span?
-How people grow and change - Developmental Psychology
-Consistency in people's behavior over time (traits that differentiate one person from another) - Personality Psychology
How Do Psychological Factors Affect Physical And Mental Health?
-Study, diagnosis, and treatment of psychological disorders - Clinical Psychology
-Educational, social, and career adjustment problems - Counseling Psychology
-Relationship between psychological factors and physical ailments and disease (depression, stress, fears) - Health Psychology
How Do Our Social Networks Affect Behavior?
-How people's thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by others (human aggression, liking and loving, persuasion, conformity) - Social Psychology
Expanding Psychology's Frontiers
Three newer members of the field's family tree have sparked particular excitement, and debate, within psychology.
Evolutionary Psychology. Considers how behavior is influenced by our genetic inheritance from our ancestors.
Behavioral Genetics. Focus on the biological mechanisms, such as genes and chromosomes, that enable inherited behavior to unfold.
Clinical Neuropsychology. Focus on the origin of psychological disorders in biological factors.
WORKING AT PSYCHOLOGY
Psychologists: A Portrait
The Education Of A Psychologist
Careers For Psychology Majors
Section 2 - A Science Evolves: The Past, the Present, and the Future
MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
~What are the origins of psychology?
~What are the major approaches in contemporary psychology?
VOCABULARY
structuralism - Wundt's approach, which focuses on uncovering the fundamental mental components of consciousness, thinking, and other kinds of mental states and activities.
introspection - A procedure used to study the structure of the mind in which subjects are asked to describe in detail what they are experiencing when they are exposed to a stimulus
functionalism - An early approach that concentrated on what the mind does - the functions of mental activity - and the role of behavior in allowing people to adapt to their environments
gestalt psychology - An approach to psychology that focuses on the organization of perception and thinking in a "whole" sense rather than on the individual elements of perception
neuroscience perspective - The approach that views behavior from the perspective of the brain, the nervous system, and other biological functions
psychodynamic perspective - The approach based on the view that behavior is motivated by unconscious inner forces over which the individual has little control
behavioral perspective - The approach that suggests that observable, measurable behavior should be the focus of study
cognitive perspective - The approach that focuses on how people think, understand, and know about the world
humanistic perspective - The approach that suggests that all individuals naturally strive to grow, develop, and be in control of their lives and behavior
THE ROOTS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Women In Psychology: Founding Mothers
TODAY'S PERSPECTIVES
The Neuroscience Perspective: Blood, Sweat, And Fears
The Psychodynamic Perspective: Understanding The Inner Person
The Behavioral Perspective: Observing The Outer Person
The Cognitive Perspective: Identifying The Roots Of Understanding
The Humanistic Perspective: The Unique Qualities Of The Human Species
Section 3 - Psychology's Key Issues and Controversies
MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
~What are psychology's key issues and controversies?
~What is the future of psychology likely to hold?
VOCABULARY
free will - The idea that behavior is caused primarily by choices that are made freely by the individual
determinism - The idea that people's behavior is produced primarily by factors outside of their willful control
PSYCHOLOGY'S FUTURE